Students’ Mathematical Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper discusses our new approach to assessing student learning. This approach includes the use of a final project rather than a cumulative exam. In particular, we measure learning by assessing students’ ability to connect mathematics to the real world via a final project. We suggest that students taking a deep dive into one particular math concept and being able to make connections between that concept and the real world are educational achievements during this pandemic. We also argue that there is value in online learning because students who learn online choose to use library resources and develop their own interests by attending office hours, all of which benefit their learning.